If Dwight Howard does sign the waiver of his early termination option and agrees to remain with the Orlando Magic next season, rather than become a free agent this summer, the Nets are unlikely to trade point guard Deron Williams today, according to a person with knowledge of the Nets' plans.

Williams, like Howard, is under contract for next season, but, also like Howard, Williams has the option to terminate the last year of his contract to become a free agent in July. He had said before the season start he would opt out of the last year of his contract and become a free agent this summer because that is the way to maximize his earnings.

Williams has said he wants to win a championship and he is willing to stay with the Nets as long as they are committed to improving the team to the point where they will become a contender. He has also said he doesn't need it to happen immediately -- that he's willing to wait, so long as he sees the team is moving aggressively in the right direction. He had said acquiring Howard, one of his best friends, would be enough to guarantee his return, but speculation had been that if the Nets did not get Howard, Williams would bolt the Nets in July to sign with his hometown Dallas Mavericks, who have cleared out salary cap space to go after him. When the Nets played their first game after the All-Star break, Nets coach Avery Johnson called Mavericks owner Mark Cuban "a threat'' to sign Williams as a free agent.

But with the news overnight that Howard has agreed to sign the ETO waiver and remain with Orlando, a person who is informed of the Nets' strategy said he does not believe the Nets will trade Williams before the 3 p.m. deadline today. Nets GM Billy King has been working at putting together contingency plans in the event that he was not able to acquire Howard in a trade, and those plans likely involve trading away players to acquire players with expiring contracts in order to create salary cap space for this summer.

Williams told reporters after Wednesday night's game it has been easier for him to get endorsement deals with the Nets than it was when he was playing for the Utah Jazz, and he said he has an excellent relationship with Nets management and coach Avery Johnson.